Let Me In
by Sapphire-Raindrop
Summary: How exactly does a newborn vampire survive without a Maker? Most of them die, yes, but what about the small percent that manage to get by? This is the story of Ariana, a young woman who is forced to enter the underground world of supernatural creatures with nothing but her speculations and conflicting instincts to guide her.
1. Walk With Me

**...**oh hello there!

I know, I know...I've got a bunch of uncompleted stories I need to get my butt moving on, but I couldn't resist. I've been playing with the idea of this for a while, and when I started writing it yesterday...it just kept writing itself. I've been having awful writer's block lately, and so I'm just excited to finally be EAGER to write something! Hopefully writing/being excited about this will get rid of my writer's block for the rest of my stories.

But anyway.

I hope you guys like this! I haven't seen too many fanfics like this, so I'm hoping to be somewhat original here!

I'm going to try and **not** do author notes on this story, to keep the flow as continuous as possible. So let me get it all out now...

_I don't own the Southern Vampire Mysteries or any of the characters, places, blah blah blah. This is purely for fan/my enjoyment, nothing more and nothing less. _

**Whether I update depends on you guys, so if you want more/have any thoughts...**

_**PLEASE REVIEW! **_

* * *

**Let Me In**

_a "Sookie Stackhouse: Southern Vampire Mysteries" fanfic_

_by_ Sapphire-Raindrop

* * *

One second, I was sitting in my car, turning my head at the sight of an unexpected set of headlights rushing toward me. The next, I was lying on the ground, my head spinning and darkness spotting the edge of my vision. I couldn't move, I could barely breathe.

Somewhere around me there were voices, angry voices, rough and loud and _mean_. Footsteps came closer, and there was a moment of quiet before the footsteps retreated.

_Help me! _I wanted to cry out, but my lips wouldn't cooperate and form the words. Even if they had been able to, my throat was so tight I wouldn't have been able to speak, anyway.

The screech of car tires, the roar growing softer and softer...then...silence.

After a few minutes I knew that I was alone. I must have hit my head really hard, because the thought that the people who had hit me weren't coming back to help was oddly funny. Sure, in the movies people were cruel enough to leave someone to die, but I never thought I would see it happen in real life. It seemed surreal; it was a bad joke, an awful prank. If I could have, I would have laughed.

I blinked slowly up at the night sky. I was in so much pain, and I let out a scream when my attempt at moving my shoulder resulted in a horrible grinding sound. It was as if my bone was rubbing against the ground. I sobbed horribly, feeling the tears wet my cheeks and run down to tickle my neck. I could feel something warm and sticky soaking through my shirt, and knew without looking down that it was blood. Something heavy and painful was in my chest, something solid that refused to budge. A thick coppery liquid coated my lips, pooling in my mouth, and I flinched at the taste of it. I had bitten my tongue more than a few times and so I knew the taste of blood, like every normal person did. But I had never tasted so _much_ of it, and the thought made my stomach turn.

My mind was fuzzy, but suddenly the smell of gasoline became unbearably strong, which sort of brought me out of the haze. Slowly – very slowly – I turned my head, and it was as if I were outside of my body. Everything felt detached, distant, like a fading memory.

The car I had been driving just seconds ago was on its side, the passenger side crunched like a soda can. The windshield was shattered, and the thousands of pieces of glass glittered like bits of diamond, the silvery light of the full moon shining down and illuminating the scene. I saw my book bag dangling off of the door, and I reached for it instinctively. My phone was in there, if I could just _reach_ it!

But I couldn't, and my vision was going dark the longer I tried to move. I let my head fall back, feeling the sting of the asphalt but not caring enough to acknowledge it. Tears continued to fall – the pain was so bad, more terrible than I could hope to describe – and I looked up at the sky again. The longer I watched the stars, the more everything around me seemed to dim and fade. I coughed, spitting blood up all over my face and neck. But I didn't care; at least it was out of my mouth, that's all that mattered.

I wanted to yell, to cry for help, but from the quiet hush I knew that no one would hear me. I didn't want to die, dammit, but I was so alone and it wasn't fair it wasn't _fair_!

I wasn't ready to die. I still had so much to do, so much to see, so much to feel. My family was waiting for me in California; they were waiting for me to drive back to see them. I hadn't been home in nearly a year, because driving from Louisiana to California was awfully expensive and time-consuming, and my parents couldn't afford to fly me home.

I had graduated from LSU Shreveport just yesterday. Four grueling years, but I had finally finished. I had my entire life to look forward to…surely fate wasn't so cruel? My parents needed to see me get married, I needed to see my older brother come home from Iraq, I needed to _live_–

But I wasn't going to live, was I?

Everything was going all shimmery, the pain a mere echo. I was so cold, but at the same time very warm. I had to concentrate on feeling the ground beneath my body, and blinking felt final – like any second I would close my eyes and be unable to open them again.

I blinked, and when I opened them I saw an angel bending over me. In the glittering haze, she was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. Long golden hair, silvery green eyes…

I had to be dead, that was the only explanation. I smiled up at the angel, and somehow found the strength to lift my hand to touch her pale cheek, so cool and blissfully smooth and _perfect_.

"Thank you," I whispered hoarsely, unable to stay silent in the face of such beauty. The angel smiled, and I felt more tears trickle down my face, but this time they were happy tears. I wasn't a particularly religious person, but in that moment I truly believed in God and the angels. I wouldn't be alone, after all.

Her cool fingers held my hand to her face, and her voice washed over me, gentle but raspy. I shivered at the huskiness of it, but then again, that could have been the cold that was seeping through my entire body.

"Why do you thank me?" she asked.

I blinked, and it took longer for me to open my eyes again. I didn't want to blink; I didn't want to lose sight of the angel.

"I'm not alone, in the end," I breathed, and although my words were strong my heart clenched. This was it, wasn't it? I was going to die, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

The angel lifted my hand from her face and kissed my palm. "All things have an end. But when one door closes, another opens. For you and I, it is just the beginning. Do you wish to walk with me, little angel?"

Angel? I wasn't the angel, _she_ was. But her eyes were sucking me into their beautiful depths. I couldn't have said no even if I wanted to, and I didn't want to.

I nodded, grimacing at the twinge of pain the movement caused.

I felt myself drifting dangerously close to the darkness when my upper body was suddenly pulled into a semi-sitting position. I felt the cool body of the angel against my back; the generous swells of her breasts and her thin fingers against my waist. I felt my neck being bared, and let out a groan of confusion. What was the angel doing? I trusted her – she was an angel, after all – but I was still a bit lost. I noticed that there was blood in my mouth, more of it this time, and I whimpered at the taste.

The angel kissed me reassuringly on the neck.

"What is your name, angel?"

I wanted to protest, but the feel of her soft lips on my neck was making me forget how to speak. I blinked, and had to take several breaths before I could focus on responding to her question.

"Ariana," I replied, so weak that I doubted the angel heard me. But she had, because she gave my neck a final kiss before whispering in my ear.

"Are you ready to be reborn, Ariana? Do not be afraid, for I am here, and will be here always."

I wasn't sure why I trusted the angel so implicitly. But something in her voice, something in her eyes and her skin…it called to me. I wanted to be with her, I wanted to feel the weight of her arms and listen to the husky timbre of her voice.

I wanted to_ live_.

I nodded once more, and the angel's tongue was on my neck. I gasped, because the sensation was so strong, it made my head spin and my body go even more limp. I couldn't keep a hold on my vision, it blurred and spun and the pain in my chest and shoulder suddenly flared, burning like a hellish inferno.

There was a sharp sting in my neck–


	2. Fallen Angel

–and something jarring pierced my mind, bringing me out of the blackness and into physical being. My eyes opened, but all I saw was dirt, and all I felt was a pressure all around me. Everything was on fire; my skin could feel every particle of earth, my nose was filled with the rich smell of mulch and wood-rot. My face was in a small space of air, and when I reached out I found that it was soft, bits of dirt falling on my face.

I was underground. But instead of feeling panic, like I should have been feeling, all I could comprehend was the fact that something was wrong. Something was horribly wrong, and there was this painful ache in my chest. The ache was urging me to dig upward, to get out of the ground and do _something. _

And so I did.

I clawed through the dirt with my bare hands, expecting to feel fatigued but never once feeling any sort of tiredness. It was like there was a fire in my veins, making me dig faster and faster until suddenly, like breaking through the ocean surf, I was at the surface. The painful ache abated for a few moments; my senses were focused elsewhere. Sweet night air filled my lungs, though breathing was somehow different. I didn't feel the subconscious relief I remember feeling when I breathed – breathing now felt…optional, sweet and fulfilling but more to taste the air than anything.

And boy, could I taste the air!

Everything was alight with meaning and significance, and I sniffed desperately, smelling the forest and the sky and the nearby stream. How could I smell those? Why was everything so big and bright and intense? I shouldn't be able to pick out individual leaves in the pitch-blackness, but somehow I was doing so with no trouble. The grass under my bare feet was cool, and each strand was like pleasantly electrified wire against my skin.

The ache came back with a vengeance, and with such strength that a cry escaped my chest. Wait, my chest!

I looked down at my body, realizing for the first time that I didn't feel any pain. My arms and legs worked fine, I wasn't hurt at all! If not for my bloodied clothes, I would have wondered if I was even in an accident.

But the ache demanded that I ignore everything else, and my nostrils flared as a scent reached my nose. I had never smelled it before, but the essence behind it was somehow familiar, and my head whipped around to the source.

There was blood, a lot of it. The scent of it made my throat flare up, like I hadn't had a sip of water in weeks, but that was weird…it was _blood_ I was smelling. I took a few steps forward, my eyes locked on the large smoking pile of blood and mangled flesh – it was more of a pulp than anything.

I fell to my knees beside the bloody mess, and reached out with a shaking hand. The trembling in my entire body was growing worse, and something was rising in me, a terrible knowledge and an overwhelming sense of loss. The moment I touched the blood with my fingertips, my emotions spilled over, and a keening whine filled the air.

The woman who had saved me, the blonde angel…the bloody mass was her remains. I didn't know how or why, but something deep and ancient inside of my mind clicked the information into place. Tears rushed forth, and I wailed, unable to contain myself, throwing my head back and screaming to the dark sky. There were no stars, the moon was dark, and I was alone.

The grief I felt was unlike anything I had ever felt before. I had grieved for my grandma when she passed on; I had grieved for my cousin when she died in that awful boating accident. I knew what it was like to lose someone important, but somehow, this seemed different. More permanent, more bittersweet, more binding. I hadn't even known the angel's name, but she was _mine_, and I was hers.

I lost track of time, because time didn't matter. I was still kneeling, my head bowed and my hands covered in the angel's blood. My mind raced with everything; the accident, the angel coming and saving me, my heightened senses, the burning hunger that ripped at my throat and begged for mercy.

Anger, anger that burned hotter than fire, rose up in me, and I got to my feet. I smelled the air again, and wrinkled my nose at the sharp, wet musk that permeated the area around the angel's remains. It wasn't unbearable, but it carried a distinctly distasteful tinge to it. It wasn't something I would forget in a hurry, and something clicked in my upper jaw when I considered that perhaps something had attacked and killed the angel. I was so angry, so enraged that someone would dare touch my angel, that someone would take her away from me!

Something sharp was cutting my lip, and I frowned, reaching up to touch the intruding objects with my fingers. There were sharp things in my mouth, but they felt like teeth, and they attached to my gums. They were…_fangs?_

"What the hell?" I shrieked, and frantically felt my mouth again, wincing as I cut my fingers on the sharp fangs. I clutched my hair, anger forgotten in lieu of the crushing panic.

"Oh god, oh god, oh god, I have fangs! Why do I have fangs?" I whispered, feeling them once more to be sure. Yep, still there. "Am I a fucking vampire or something?" I muttered, and as ridiculous as the statement sounded…I couldn't find it in myself to disregard the theory.

But wait, vampires weren't real! Ariana, get a freaking grip! It was just a trick, some practical joke–

Suddenly, a scent washed over me, and my rational thought switched off like a light switch. The most delicious smell in the world was in my head, fogging up my world and putting me on edge. Everything was heightened, and my fangs ached, little stabs of pain that urged me to _mov_e.

I was running faster than I had ever run before, zeroing in on the scent. I heard voices, two of them, but I didn't even care about being heard or seen. I was on the hunt, and all that mattered was quenching this terrible thirst that had risen up in my stomach and set fire to my throat.

I crouched behind a tree, my mouth open to better smell them, and watched as an elderly couple made their way down the sidewalk that ran alongside the road. A series of yellow-gold lamps lit the path, throwing little orbits of light around the metal posts.

The couple was holding hands, and the wrinkles on their faces threw intricate shadows on their features. My eyes drank them in, my ears heard their pulses beat strongly, and my mouth could almost taste the warmth of blood flowing through their veins. I didn't register until later that I was looking for weak spots – one of them had a brace on, that would slow them down, and their canes would get in the way…

I waited until they were directly across from me, and then I lunged.

The man went down like a sack of bricks, and without even pausing to take in his expression of terror I chomped down on his neck. Blood poured into my mouth, and I moaned, the thirst flaring before settling down. The man was struggling, but I was so much stronger than him, and soon his flailing ceased. The woman had fallen as well, and was screaming and sobbing, but the sounds of her anguish were mere background noise. I guzzled, feeling the roar of the man's pulse in my ears, basking in the blissful smoothness of his blood on my throat.

Funny, the last time I had that much blood in my mouth, I had been revolted. Now, I couldn't imagine drinking anything else. Wait, I was _drinking_ blood? Why was I drinking blood?

My mind was in turmoil, but my body refused to let go of the man, refused to release my grip until he went limp, and the blood slowed to a trickle. I grimaced as I released him, pouting at the lack of life in him.

I needed more.

My thirst rose up again, but my irrational anger diminished when I realized I had another source of blood just waiting to satisfy me.

I turned to the woman. Her face was blank with horror, and I snarled, too hungry to realize what an animalistic sound it was. I made to bite her neck, but something burned my cheek. Screaming, I tossed her back and covered my face with my hands. I felt the painful sizzling, but after a moment or so the sensation ceased, and I felt smooth skin where the burn had been seconds before. I was already healed? How was that possible?

I looked back to the woman, and saw that she had a silver necklace on. Through the bloodlust, I felt a weight settle in my stomach. Stronger, faster, heightened senses, desire for blood, sensitivity to silver…was it possible that I was a real-life vampire?

The wife, her face puffy and streaked with tears and dirt, looked at her dead partner, and a sob escaped her throat. She crawled over to him, and I moved around her, careful to keep my eye on the silver necklace. The woman didn't seem to be in the position to attack me, but I couldn't be too careful.

She was cradling his head in her lap, gripping her necklace. I noticed that it was a cross, and my ears perked up as she looked over at me, her eyes clear and surprisingly bright. The woman stared at me for a moment or two, and her lips trembled.

There were no words spoken, but I understood. There would be no chase, no struggle. She wished to pass on with her husband. I felt the urge to kill ebb slightly, though the need for blood was still just as present. It hit me for the first time that this was a _person_, that she was alive and breathing and _feeling_. I wanted to feel guilty, to hate myself, but the hunger in me rose up, and the guilt died down in the face of it.

The woman gave the dead man a kiss on the forehead, and her fingers went to remove her silver necklace. She pressed the cross to her lips, and then placed it in her husband's vest pocket, patting it once before facing me.

I gave her one last second of life, and then I pounced.

When she stopped breathing, when the blood ran dry, I rose from my crouched position, blood dripping down my chin and my head spinning from the sudden burst of energy I felt. The blood was coursing through me, filling me up and making everything brighter. I smiled lazily, feeling my fangs slowly retract. I could feel a particular set of muscles contract when the fangs retreated, and I jerked my upper jaw, flexing those muscles. The fangs popped back out, and a childish giggle escaped me. I had retractable fangs. That was so _weird_, but strangely awesome.

I stared down at the limp bodies, seeing the blood pool around their forms, and for the life of me I couldn't find it in me to hate myself for what I had done. I wasn't sure if it was the new instincts filling my thoughts, but a part of me refused to feel sorry. I was a hunter, they were my prey. It was nothing personal, nothing planned or done with any malicious intent. I knelt down next to the woman, and touched her neck, feeling the puncture holes with my sensitive fingers.

I was almost uncomfortably full, the hunger completely gone, and with the bloodlust absent I was able to think more clearly. If I had killed two young people, I suppose I would have felt much, much worse. I would have seen myself in them; I would have been cheating them of a long and fulfilling life.

I frowned, and sat on the ground, still examining the puncture wounds. Was there any way to feed without killing the human? Or was killing the only way to get enough blood to keep the painful hunger away? I didn't _want _to kill, but what if it was the only way?

My eyes stung, and I cried for a while, stroking the woman's neck and trying to contain my raging emotions. I wished that my angel were here; she said that we would walk together, that she would always be there to help me. But now, she was dead and I was alone with no idea of what to do or where to go.

I couldn't go home.

The tears came faster at that thought, but I remembered how I lunged at the man, how I tore into his throat like a wild animal…I couldn't do that to my family. I couldn't be around them. I couldn't even tell them I was a vampire, because would they believe me? Well, they'd believe me if I _showed _them, but then what? They would fear me; they wouldn't know what to do with me.

I couldn't see them. Not until I knew more about what I was and what I could and couldn't do. But that didn't mean I couldn't email or text them. That thought made me smile a bit, and I wiped my face. I saw red on my hands, and frowned. Wait, what?

Was I crying _blood_?

I reached up and felt the wetness under my eyes, and pulled away, seeing crimson staining my fingers.

"Oh for fuck's sake…" I muttered, and wiped the tears away. I looked up at the sky, and felt another stab of hurt. "Why did you have to die? I really need your help," I said, addressing the angel that should have been sitting next to me.

I knew that she was a vampire, but in my mind I couldn't see her as anything but an angel. She saved my life; that made her an angel in my book.

Hours later, the sky began to lighten. I felt a tugging sluggishness in my bones, and I wondered if I was affected by the sun, like traditional vampires were. I wasn't about to test my luck, though, and so I made my way back to where I had dug myself out of the ground. I saw my angel's remains, and that sent me into another wave of hysterics, but after burying the mass of blood and flesh I was able to focus on burrowing into my temporary grave. It was dirty and dry and strange, but I managed to cover myself completely. After I was settled, I was even able to feel a bit of security.

I was a vampire, a vampire with nowhere to go, no one to seek out for help. I was still myself for the most part, but these primal feelings kept rising up inside of me, so powerful and raw that I could barely think straight. My body wasn't my own when those feelings came, and I didn't know what to expect or how to begin to control myself.

I needed to find other vampires. There had to be others, right?

Before I could think any more on the subject, my eyes closed, and in an instant I was dead to the world.


	3. Lonely Road

After digging myself out of the ground for the second time, I decided that I needed to find somewhere else to spend the daylight hours. I was completely covered in dirt, and looked like something from a zombie movie. I attempted to rub some of the filth from my skin, but it was no use. I needed a shower, one with hot water and a lot of soap. I pulled my tangled hair back with a hairband – I always had one on my wrist – before sniffing the air. I could smell the wreckage of my car, still, and sighed. It was a backwater road in Louisiana; it was no surprise that no one had noticed it, yet.

I saw the shallow grave I had dug for my angel, and my throat tightened. The grief was still so fresh inside of me, but my eyes stayed dry. I couldn't afford to cry – how was I supposed to travel through towns if my face was covered in bloody tears? I had to appear to be normal; I _couldn't _afford to screw things up.

I knelt down, and put my hand on the soft dirt. When I pulled away, the firm impression of my hand remained. I let it be, bowing my head and giving my angel a few moments of prayer. I wasn't particularly religious, but I wasn't above giving a few moments of my time to God every now and then.

"Thank you for saving me. I never really got to know you, but you seemed like a nice person. You didn't deserve what happened to you," I said quietly, and gave the grave one last touch before standing up and turning away. I needed to find somewhere to shower and somewhere to sleep. Those were the two more important things.

I swallowed thickly, aware of the burning hunger in my throat.

I also needed to get more blood. I needed to be completely and utterly full on blood before I even _thought_ about going into a store. Would I even be able to walk among humans, even if I stuffed myself beforehand?

I decided that I'd cross that bridge when I came to it. For the moment, I needed to get back to my car and get my bag. My wallet was in my bag, as well as my computer. My luggage was also in the back…wait; I had shampoo and all that stuff in my luggage! I wouldn't have to go to a store, after all!

After laughing a bit in sheer relief, I ran toward the smell of my car, feeling the air rush past me. The forest was a blur, and it was barely a minute later that I reached the road. I was moving unnaturally fast…but that was no surprise. Vampires were said to be faster and stronger than humans; I just hadn't known how much.

God, I couldn't believe that I was actually a _vampire_. But there was no other way to slice it; I craved blood, I was vulnerable to sunlight, and silver burned the shit out of me. What else _could_ I be?

My poor Honda Civic was a mess, all battered and on its side, and I patted the top of it sadly before leaning down and peering inside. My bag was still dangling out, and I grabbed it, sitting on the ground to examine the contents. Everything was still there, thank God, and I held it close for a moment. I'm sure it was a stupid thought, but with my ID and my phone and my computer…I was able to ignore that I wasn't human anymore. I was able to imagine that I was still plain old Ariana Sanders. Just a graduated college student on her way home to California, a girl with friends and family that would be worried sick.

The thought made me start, and I scrambled for my phone. I could feel how fragile the Blackberry was in my hands, and made a concerted effort not to break it. I turned it on, and saw that I had three missed calls; two from my parents and one from my best friend, Ally Mason.

Ally! She lived in Shreveport…could she help me? No, I couldn't possibly put her in danger that way, how would I live with myself if I hurt her? No, no, _no_–

But what else could I do?

Ally had also texted me, about three hours ago.

_Hey hot stuff, u in Cali yet? _

I stared at the text, and looked around, taking in the emptiness of the road and the wreck that was my beloved car. I had nowhere to go, and I desperately needed help. I bit my lip, feeling the sharpness of my teeth, and I groaned, gripping my hair.

What if I hurt her?

No, that wouldn't happen. Ally was my best friend, she had been ever since freshman year, and I couldn't lose her. I _wouldn't_.

I grabbed my bag, craning my arm inside the car to pop the trunk. It opened with an awful sounding creak, and I unloaded my luggage. Luckily for me, I had been slowly but surely shipping my stuff back home over the past few months so that I wouldn't have to drive it all home. As a result, all I had with me was a huge backpack, my book bag and a small suitcase. I sifted through my backpack, making sure I had the essentials – toiletries, clothes, a few extra pairs of shoes, my extra stash of emergency cash...the works.

I left my lamp in the trunk, along with other useless items. I spotted my graduation cap, and was about to leave it, but couldn't bring myself to do so. I picked it up, my fingers lightly brushing against the stitched words.

_Ariana Sanders – B.A. in History – Class of 2006_

I paused for a second, and then stuffed the cap inside of my backpack.

After I was ready to go, I got my phone out again and sent a quick text to my dad and mom.

_Hey guys, got a bit of car trouble, so I'll be staying with Ally until I can get it fixed. I'll call you tomorrow night with an update. Xoxoxo_

Satisfied, I texted Ally telling her that I'd been in an accident, asking if she could come pick me up. I had barely pressed send and taken a breath when she responded with a call rather than a text.

"Ally?"

"Ari, darlin', what the hell happened? Are you hurt?" she demanded, and I laughed at her panicky tone. I leaned against my car, running a hand over my face.

"Al, I'm fine. I was parked on the side of the road when some assholes hit me. Luckily I wasn't inside. I was hiking through the woods trying to find service. Ugh, Al, you should see me. I'm covered in dirt and god knows what else. That's what I get for parading through the forest when it's pitch black outside," I replied, trying to keep my voice casual while taking a glance down at my clothes. They were unreasonably filthy, but the dirt managed to hide the bloodstains from last night.

My throat burned a little more, and I remembered that I hadn't had any blood yet. I couldn't get into a tight space with Ally until I had a bit more control.

"God, Ari, you should just be grateful you weren't in the car when it happened! I'm comin' to pick you up, okay? Where are you?"

"Actually, Al, I think it would be better if I meet you somewhere. I'm not that far from a gas station."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'll get to the gas station and then I'll text you the name of it, okay?"

Ally hesitated, but agreed. I smiled at her concern.

"I'll see you soon, Al."

I hung up, letting out a heavy sigh. I set down my bags and frowned as I considered my options. I had, tops, twenty minutes before Ally started getting worried. Was that enough time to find blood?

I pushed back the guilt, refusing to let myself go there. I couldn't afford to be human-Ariana right now. I had to have blood, otherwise I would snap and kill my best friend the moment I saw her. I couldn't let that happen, and would do anything in my power to prevent it.

In order to keep Ally safe, I needed to find someone to feed off of.

I needed to find someone to kill.


	4. Silence

I recalled the smell of human from the night before, and lifted my face to the air, sniffing hesitantly. All at once I got a flurry of scents, all of them powerful and struggling for dominance. But I focused, and my eyes snapped open as I registered the smell of warm human flesh. I could try and describe it in words, but all I would come up with is _ripe_. Y'know that smell of a fruit when its ripe? It's more than a smell; it's a tingle, a shiver under your skin.

I whirled around and took off into the darkness. The smell was down the road some, and suddenly I found myself in a small town. I hid in an alleyway, watching as people walked by. I had to physically bite my lip to keep from hissing in anticipation.

I could smell the blood in their veins, I could almost _taste_ it.

But I had promised myself I wouldn't kill young people, and that promise kept me in line…barely.

A few minutes later, the waiting was becoming unbearable, and I was about to lash out and grab the nearest person when someone grabbed my shoulder, smacking a hand around my mouth before sliding their other hand down to grope my chest.

"Don't scream, bitch, or I'll–"

But the man's greasy voice was silenced as I turned around and latched one hand around his neck. He was so slow compared to me; I couldn't believe how easy it had been to immobilize him. I had never taken fighting lessons, not even karate when I was a little kid, and yet I was keeping a full-grown man at bay with nothing but a hand.

The scumbag was tall and lanky, with watery eyes and a scraggly beard. His eyes bulged in fright and surprise, and I smiled, relishing the tang of fear. It aroused all of my new instincts in a delicious way, and I leaned in, flexing the muscles that would release my fangs. I had sworn not to kill young people, but then again…I could make an exception for men who went around raping unsuspecting girls. I was doing the town a favor, really.

His eyes widened even more at the sight of my fangs, and when he made to scream I covered his mouth with my free hand.

"Who's the bitch now?" I hissed, and without allowing him a moment to think about responding I lunged forward and bit into his neck. He screamed, but I pressed hard on his mouth, so it came out as a weak gurgle instead. The blood wasn't as tasty as it had been with the elderly couple, but it was warm and it gave me strength. I could taste something off in the man's blood, and had my answer when I glanced down and saw infected needle marks on the crook of his am.

I gave his neck one final chomp, and the man finally died, his blood trickling down to nothing. I let him drop to the ground, and thought for a moment before kneeling down and using his shirt to wipe my face. I stared at his horrible dead face for a second or two, and then ran away, back to the car. I wasn't completely full, but I was confident that I wouldn't rip into Ally the moment I stepped into her car.

I could do this. I just had to keep reminding myself how important Ally was to me, how much it would hurt me if I touched a hair on her head.

I was still a bloodthirsty wreck, but for Ally, I would control myself. For her, I would push down the urge to kill, bite and fuck all at the same time. Oh _God_ was I horny. I hadn't felt aroused in the slightest when I drained the elderly couple, but after this satisfying kill, after smelling the man's pathetic fear and feeling his throat slowly crumple under my hand…all I wanted to do was grab the nearest attractive guy and _fuck_ him silly.

I shook my head, rubbing my arms and retracting my fangs; it was getting easier and easier each time, I noted.

My phone buzzed, and I looked at it to see that Ally had texted me, asking where I was. I sent her a quick text giving her directions to the gas station in town, and then ran back to my car. I couldn't get over the fact that I was moving so _fast_, it was like flying!

I grabbed my bags, so light thanks to my newfound strength, and ran to the end of the road, slowing down once I got in sight of the town. Even with my dirty clothes and tangled hair, I still didn't get so much as a second glance once people saw my backpack and luggage. I kept a small smile on my face, and moved with purpose, so as to not alarm anyone.

In reality, I was going crazy. Every brush of warm human skin against me sent pangs of hunger and need through me, and it was only the grip on my bags and my suitcase that kept me from ripping into every single person that passed. I finally caved, and called Ally, desperately needing the distraction of her voice.

"You still doin' okay, Ari? You're soundin' kinda jittery," her Southern drawl came through the phone, painfully loud on my heightened senses, but a welcome pain. It kept the bloodlust at bay, for the moment, and I nodded even though she wasn't around to see me.

"I'm fine, just a bit nervous. I'm not sure what I'm going to do about the car…"

"Oh don't worry about that. We'll get you home, and then we'll leave a message for the local towin' company. My brother's been in plenty of accidents himself, so I'm pretty used to all this," Ally said casually, and I nodded.

Ally's brother Todd was a wild one, that was for sure. Ally was wild, too, but in a much safer, more tolerable way. Todd was in and out of jail most days, and was currently in rehab for his alcohol addiction. Ally was still optimistic, but I didn't think Todd would ever be completely sober. But then again, I didn't know him all that well – I had only known him for a few months before another stint took him off to jail.

"That's a relief. Thanks so much, Al. I really appreciate you coming out like this."

"Girl, what're best friends for? Okay, I see the gas station…oh, I see you!"

I looked over to see Ally's silver Toyota Camry winking at me from across the street, and I gave her a big smile. I could see every detail of her face, and saw the brief moment of confusion as she looked at me.

"Holy shit on a pancake, you weren't kiddin' when you said you fell in the dirt a few times!"

I made my way across the street, grinning sheepishly to appease her. "Yeah, you know me, I can barely walk in a straight line most days," I muttered, and hung up, because I was at her car. She got out, and I had to sigh because _wow_.

Ally was seriously beautiful. I had known that ever since I met her for the first time, but with my transformation, her beauty was only intensified. Sure, I could hear her gut making odd noises every now and then, her breath wasn't the cleanest, and she had forgotten to put deodorant on, but beneath all the little human things…she _glowed_. Her skin was tan and smelled like sunshine, making my chest ache with bitterness; I would never feel the sun on my skin again. Her eyes were a much more vivid blue than I remembered, and her wavy blonde hair shone with subtle silvery-blonde highlights. Her slim body curved and flared out in all the right places, something I had always envied – I definitely _wasn't_ slender by any means, and although I did have a rather nice butt I had always envied Ally's long, slender legs and generous bust.

Suddenly, she was hugging me – we were both tall, around 5'10", and so that put my mouth almost directly at neck-level. I clamped my mouth shut, refusing to breathe in her scent. I could hear her blood pulsing just under her skin, beckoning to me and begging me to bite. But I bit hard on my tongue, and refused to give in. It was Ally, my best friend, and I _wouldn't _hurt her.

"I know you're dirty and all, but y'looked like you needed a hug, so here you go. It's only been like, a day, but I've missed you!"

I smiled, and allowed myself to hug her back, gingerly, careful not to shatter her spine and ribcage. I could feel them beneath my arms, so deceptively delicate and _human_.

"I missed you too," I whispered, and we pulled apart. She helped me put my bags into her trunk, and we piled in. She cranked up the AC – it was mid June, and so even in the evening it was ridiculously hot – and we were off. I was grateful for the icy air; it helped filter Ally's scent. I slid down in my seat, folding my legs up and hugging my knees tightly, anything to stop me from reaching over and yanking Ally's head to the side so I could bite down on her throat.

I wanted to drain her, but somehow I was able to avert my gaze and focus on the world passing by outside the car window, focus on how much I cared about Ally and didn't want to hurt her. It was the most focused I could ever remember being about anything, and seeing as I had just graduated college, that was _saying_ something.

Luckily, Shreveport was only thirty minutes away. The two of us didn't particularly feel like talking, so Ally popped in a CD and we listened/sang along to it the entire ride to Ally's house. I appreciated the lack of conversation; it wasn't awkward or uncomfortable, but peaceful, as silence can only be when shared with a close friend. It made me think back to all of the quiet times Ally and I had spent in the car, in her apartment, in the college library. For such an outgoing, candid person, Ally knew when to be quiet, and I loved her for it.

The only problem was…would I be able to break the silence and tell Ally the truth about what had happened?

Could I tell her that I was a vampire?

She was my best friend, but would that be enough for her to seriously believe me? And what if she _did_ believe me? Would she be afraid of me, would she call for help and have me run out of town for good? Would she try and kill me?

I didn't know what would happen, and that scared me more than anything.


	5. Invitation

I stood in the shower, relishing the hot stream of water raining down on my dirty skin and staring at the opposite wall. I gingerly touched the pale blue tile, marveling in the fact that I could feel every tiny ridge and flaw in the shapes. To a human eye, the tiles seemed smooth and flawless, but now I could see that they were riddled with small imperfections.

I could smell the ceramic, it was a cold, earthy scent, and it clashed – though not unpleasantly – with the fragrance of my shampoo, conditioner and body wash. I was clean by now, and was just standing and enjoying the heat of the shower. It was much hotter than it should have been, and I wondered if vampires just ran cooler than humans.

My head touched the tile as I sagged against the wall, breathing in deeply. Ally would have to be told…tonight. I couldn't hide out in her basement and then pop up and expect her to take it like nothing was wrong. Ally wasn't an idiot, and she wasn't the kind of person to dance around anything. If she had a problem, she told you, end of story.

I debated washing my hair again, but scoffed at my desperation. Now I was just being a coward. With a hiss, I turned off the water, and grabbed my towel that was hanging just outside the shower. Drying myself off in seconds, I pulled on my pajamas. The ceiling fan had prevented the mirror from fogging up, so I was able to look at my reflection as I brushed out my hair.

I had always been pale, but suddenly I was _bone_-pale. My skin was almost ghostly, like I had a chalky powder all over my skin. My light brown eyes were a bit feverish, but I blamed my nervousness and newfound bloodlust for that. My straight hair, just below my ears when I started college, was now a few inches past my shoulders. Ally, the fashion and beauty guru that she was, called it "chocolate brown with caramel highlights". I didn't see why she couldn't just call it just plain brown, like every _normal_ person did.

The few freckles I had decorated my nose and cheeks, and if I thought they were annoying before…oh God I hated them now. My extra-pale skin made them even more of an eyesore, and I gritted my teeth. It was so petty to be upset about a few freckles, I knew that, but in the back of my mind I had been expecting something…more. I had assumed, stupidly, that all vampires transformed into beautiful creatures like my angel. That's what I got for being ridiculous and superficial.

I finished brushing my hair, and left the bathroom, padding down the stairs to the living room. Ally's parents had died when Ally was ten; Todd was already out of the house by then. The house had been left to the children, though Ally was the one who ended up getting it. The mortgage paid and everything financially settled, my best friend lived there with a relative until she started college. It was small but cozy, and it was my home away from home…literally. I had met Ally at the end of our first year of college, and we had lived in her house ever since. We both chipped in for groceries and utilities, and it was still infinitely cheaper than renting an apartment. It was only half an hour from LSU campus, and had a lovely patch of honeysuckle growing along the gated fence going around the house. It was located on the outskirts of Shreveport, on the very edge of a pine forest. There were other houses nearby, but not within sight – the nearest neighbor was a two-minute walk through some trees.

Ally also pajama-clad, was just getting off the phone, and she turned to me with a smile.

"Just got off the phone with the towin' company; your car should be in the shop by tomorrow morning."

"Thanks, girl," I murmured, and Ally immediately sensed that something was off. I was always easy to read, and Ally knew me well enough to know when something was bothering me. I never had a chance of hiding it from her.

"Kay, you go sit your ass down, and I'll get us some wine. You okay with Merlot? I know it's not your favorite, but it's all I got right now," Ally asked, moving to the small kitchen separated from the living room by a small island countertop. I sighed, and sat on the worn couch, fingering the colored blanket tossed over the back of it.

"I'm really okay, Ally. I'd prefer not to have alcohol right now," I chimed in, and prayed that Ally wouldn't insist on me drinking. I loved that girl to death, but sometimes she could be a bit pushy.

Ally gave me a puzzled look, but thankfully shrugged, and put one of the glasses back. "Alright, if you say so. Just trying to make it easier."

She filled her wine-glass about halfway, and came back, her bare legs casting shadows on the ground as she plopped herself on the couch beside me. I stiffened as her scent hit me, so clean and fresh and _delicious_. I stood abruptly, striding away from her. Every instinct in me urged me to run, to use my speed and get away from her, but I forced my movements to be slow. It was excruciating, to move this slowly, but I knew if I didn't think through every move I made…Ally would know.

"Talk to me," Ally demanded, and I turned to see her leaning forward, her eyes worried. I sighed, and ran my hands through my wet hair. How could I even begin to tell her the truth?

"I'm scared to talk to you," I blurted out, and turned my back to her again. Ally sucked in a slow breath, and I heard her getting up. I turned to face her, and backed up as she made to move forward.

"Don't, Al. Please," I pleaded, and Ally stopped, holding her hands up as if to show me she was unarmed.

"Ari, darlin', you're scarin' me. Please…just talk to me."

I stared at her, and leaned back against the wall, feeling my muscles shake with the effort of remaining still. I felt tears threaten, but forced them back, unwilling to have to explain them. I breathed, flinching at the sweet tang of her blood.

"I haven't been completely honest with you."

"About?"

"The accident," I muttered, and Ally's eyebrows rose slightly. When she didn't respond, I forced myself to continue. "I was in the car when those guys hit me."

Ally's face creased. "Oh my God, Ari, are you…okay?" she took another step forward, but seemed to realize something, her eyes scanning up and down my body. "But you're not hurt, you were covered in dirt…"

I nodded, my hands tracing aimless patterns on the wall behind me. "Ally, I…I was thrown out of the car. I think my arm was broken; something was sticking out of my chest…I was bleeding and all I could think was that I was going to die. I _was_ dying, and then…"

I swallowed hard, and kept looking down at the carpet – I couldn't hope to meet Ally's eyes.

"This woman found me, and asked if she could save me. I said yes, and the next thing I knew, I was waking up underground and I had to dig myself out and I was so fucking _scared_. But then, I found this…this _pile_ of blood and burning stuff and I just knew that it was her and that she was dead and I was all alone–"

I felt tears dripping down my face, and I sank to the ground, closing my eyes. Oh, my angel was dead and I had _loved_ her. I heard Ally's gasp, and her heartbeat sped up. My fangs clicked out before I could stop them, my mouth opening to better inhale her scent. I felt my muscles tensing to pounce, and I let out a whine, unable to hold myself back any longer.

Suddenly, Ally's shocked voice pierced the haze of bloodlust.

"I rescind your invitation to this house!"


	6. Not The Only One

I gasped as something deep and painful tugged at me, literally picking me up and pushing me toward the front door. I cried out, unable to stop my body from moving. I opened the door, but my hand did so without my permission, and suddenly I was outside. The tugging stopped the moment I left the house. I whimpered, confused and hungry and scared.

Ally appeared inside the doorway, and her face was stricken.

"I'm so sorry, Ari, I had to make sure you wouldn't try and eat me!"

My eyes widened. "You _know_?"

Ally bit her lip, and sat down on the floor just inside her house. I mimicked her without thinking, flexing the muscles to retract my fangs.

"You're a vampire, Ari. I have no idea how you survived this long – usually, newborn vampires are out of their mind, unable to focus for any amount of time, completely dependent on their Maker. But oh my God…you're a vampire and I didn't even know it until just now!" Ally moaned, her face falling into her hands.

"Maker?"

Ally shook her head. "Okay, wait…let me start over. Ari," she said, lifting her head to look at me. "I'm a witch. My mom and dad were witches themselves, and that's how they died – they were killed in a brewing accident. My brother and I, we're witches. I never told you because I didn't want to get you into trouble, I was only allowed to attend LSU and let you live here if I swore not to tell you anything about what I was."

"A witch?" I repeated numbly, and Ally nodded.

"Not like in Harry Potter or anythin', but yeah. I belong to a coven, and I practice magic. I'm considered an elemental witch, meanin' that my focus is on manipulatin' the elements, but I can preform basic spells like any other witch."

"Is that a spell that you just did, by throwing me out?" I asked, and without thinking tried to re-enter the house. But the moment I did, I came across this heavy wall of air, like trying to stick two reluctant magnets together. You know that feeling when you're trying so hard to put those two magnets together but there's like this invisible little cushion of air keeping them apart? That's what the barrier felt like, and I sat back down, frowning.

"Oh, that? No, that's just one of those vampire things. A vampire has to be invited into a person's home. And the person can take away that invitation at any time by saying the words I just said. Don't worry, it's not permanent, I just wanted to make sure that you really _were_ a vampire. Ari…I'm so sorry."

I leaned my elbows against my knees. "I'm sorry, too. I didn't mean to scare you like that. I just…I don't have anywhere else to go. I can't go home, because my family…" I trailed off, feeling a few more tears trickle down my face. I wiped them away, remembering that they were bloody tears. Ally didn't seem to be fazed by them, and my chest lightened at the sight of her comforting smile.

"I know, darlin'. I'm just so surprised at how much you're still…well, _you_. I've seen my fair share of newborn vampires, and trust me, they can get pretty wild."

I nodded, and I looked at my hands. The nails were still dirty from digging out of my grave, jarring reminders of what I was. But I wasn't alone. At least, I wasn't as alone as I had previously assumed. There were other vampires; there was an entire world that I hadn't known about until my transformation. I wondered if there were other creatures besides vampires and witches…

Frowning, I looked back up at Ally. "Al, what did you mean by 'Maker'? Is that what the woman was? My Maker?"

Ally's face fell, and she shifted her shoulders. I clamped my mouth shut as her scent washed over me, and automatically scooted a foot or so away. She sent me an apologetic look before speaking.

"Yeah, she was your Maker. Makers control their Children, make sure they don't go off killin' a bunch of people, and teach them about the vampire laws. My mentor's told me about the bond between a Maker and their Child…Ari I am _so _sorry. You woke up alone, all alone, and with all of those new feelings and powers...your Maker just left you all alone. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy."

I opened my mouth to correct Ally, but the words wouldn't come out. I let out a sigh, and took a moment to compose myself. Ally didn't need to know that my Maker was never coming back. It was hard enough to bear the burden myself…how could Ally hope to understand how I felt? No, it was better for her to think my Maker had abandoned me. It was easier.

"I've killed three people, Ally," I whispered, because I knew that it would distract her from talk of Makers and their Children. She flinched horribly at my revelation. I felt a bit hurt by her reaction, but I suppose I should have seen it coming.

"Only three?" she whispered back, her voice a little weaker than it had been before. I frowned, confused. Ally took a deep breath, and shrugged.

"I don't know much about vampires, but I do know that they kill a lot of people in their lifetimes. My mentor says that the murder rate has gone down a lot over the centuries, but that killin' humans is still kind of commonplace. And without a Maker…I'm surprised you didn't eat that entire town, Ari."

"I wanted to," I admitted honestly, and Ally nodded. I probably should have tried to keep my vampire instincts a little more concealed, for her sake, but at the same time…I didn't want to be ashamed of what I was. I couldn't change it, so there was no point in lamenting.

"So what happens now?" I asked.

Ally sighed, running a hand through her hair, blue eyes far away. "I have to let my coven know what happened to you. They were very careful to keep tabs on you while you lived here, so they'll be interested in knowing about the transformation."

I bit my lip. "Will they try and kill me?"

Ally held up her hands as if to calm me, her mouth quirking in a smile. "Settle down, darlin'. We're not like those evil witches in the movies, y'hear? We got rules, and we're pretty careful to stay on the right side of vampires. Don't worry, you'll be just fine."

"Okay. So what happens after you tell the coven?"

"After that? I honestly don't know enough about the vampire laws to tell you. I have a coven meeting tomorrow morning, and so I'll be able to tell you what the plan is when you wake up."

"Okay."

Ally gave me a serious look. "Alright, then. Are you in control, Ari? I can't invite you back in until you are."

I licked my lips, staring into her eyes and taking note of my body's reaction to her closeness. My fangs were aching, but even when I moved forward and inhaled they stayed retracted. My stomach clenched, but the blood from earlier was enough to keep it from being too painful.

"I…I think so," I breathed, and Ally pursed her lips in thought before standing up and moving back a few paces. She reached for something in a drawer, and I frowned before seeing what was in her hand. It was a large, ornate silver necklace that covered most of her neck. A few silver bracelets followed, securely clipped so that they were close to the skin of her forearms. She pushed the sleeves of her shirt down, and so the silver was hidden from sight.

"I know some spells that can keep vampires away, but I'm not all that good at them. This is easier than trying to remember a bunch of spells. Mom always had tons of silver jewelry stashed around the house, just in case vampires came a'callin. Okay, Ari, you can come in."

I felt the invisible barrier melt away, and cautiously moved forward, breathing a sigh of relief when nothing pushed me back. I could smell the danger the silver presented, and while it made me wary I was grateful Ally had it on. It mixed in with the scent of her blood and made my hunger recede in favor of staying away from the awful burning silver caused.

'Better?" Ally asked, tucking a piece of short blonde hair behind her ear. I swallowed, tentatively sniffing the air more thoroughly. I nodded, and Ally smiled with obvious relief. She moved forward, and lifted her hands as if to cup my face. I leaned forward, and she placed her fingers lightly on my cheeks. Her skin was so warm, and I could feel the slight rasp of her human skin against my much smoother vampire skin. She wasn't rough, exactly, just more textured, more variable and ever changing.

She stared at my face and stroked my hair, her blue eyes so deep and sad. I felt more tears welling up, and Ally's face crumpled, her calm exterior melting away to reveal the fear and sorrow she had been hiding. Ally leaned forward so our foreheads were touching, and together we cried.

"Everything will be different, now," Ally whispered, and I nodded.

"Yeah," was my hushed reply. I smelled her sadness, and it made me sadder than anything. Ally took a shuddering breath, and pulled back slightly, her mouth setting in a frown.

"But not everything. Vampire or not, you're my best friend. I don't care what the other witches say; you're still my Ari. That won't change, no matter what happens."

I smiled through my tears, and nodded happily. We both giggled a bit, and pulled back. I could feel a tingle of tiredness, and glanced outside. Ally checked her wristwatch, and squeaked a bit.

"Oh shit, we've got to get you into the basement! C'mon, we'll get a bed set up for you!"

Ten minutes later, we had rolled out the old couch in Alley's basement and piled it with comfy pillows and blankets. I lay down, my eyes growing more and more heavy. I felt Ally touch my shoulder and say something about protection wards.

I was asleep before I could make any sense of it.


End file.
